Wrong side of history?

"You are on the wrong side of history," the singer croons. In other words, he feels that his opinion on some matter will prevail in the future, even though it may not be so popular now. Well, 100 years ago some thought that people were getting better and better, as world war 1 began, and just before world war 11, etc. No doubt some popular views today will be considered obsolete 100 years from now.

But indeed of worrying about whether we are " on the wrong side of history" or not, I hope we are concerned to be on the side of the one who created time and history, and who stands outside of it and is coming back as the judge of all the earth. Jesus calls all individuals to love and to obey him and to worship his as God. At times the worship of Jesus Christ seems to be almost wiped out, whether by the Muslims overrunning North Africa around 700 a.d, or in the year of our Lord 1800 in the USA.

I just returned from the most religious country in the world (India) to the least religious country in the world (Sweden). Although about 80% of Swedes belong to the state church, which is Lutheran, about 1% attend, as about the same percentage attend in India. To the casual observer, to be Christian in those countries seems to be " on the wrong side of history." Christianity does have tremendous growth in Africa and other parts of Asia, such as China, however. But even if it was dying in every country, we can be certain that Jesus Christ has been born as a baby in history, was crucified, resurrected, and is coming back as the judge of all the earth. Each person is responsible to consciously follow him as Savior from sin and as Lord of our lives.

History is linear. It began and it will end. God created, and is separate and distinct from that which he has created. I understand that worship of self is the rage and has been for a long time in European societies. Many think it is ok to take a little from various religions and to make our own set of beliefs to live by. Such views oppose the entering of Jesus Christ to earth from eternal heaven, historically as a baby, his physical resurrection from the dead, with much evidence by the way, and his call for all to worship him in spirit and in truth. Just because the vast majority of a group in time reject his offer of salvation, has no bearing whatsoever on the truthfulness of what he says. We should not choose a religion by popular vote, but based on truth. Is it true or not should guide our decisions, not whether more individuals agree on a matter or not at a particular time and place.

I was looking recently at salt shakers we bought in the Netherlands of a little Dutch boy and girl in traditional costumes, and got a bit sad that native dress is being phased out all over the world by fashions in Paris, Milan, and London. Native costumes are " on the wrong side of history," in other words. So what? These have no eternal significance at all. It is eternally significant to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. Dutch wooden shoes do not help us to do that, so they are very trivial compared to doing and being what God reveals for us to be and to do in the Bible. Wear wooden shoes or go to UT football games or plant tulips and other flowers, fine. But never pretend that above all, God calls us to love and to obey him, whether every one around us does that or nobody else!

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The Rev. Dr. Alden Marshall was converted as a boy, rededicated his life to Jesus at age 25, and went from rural (cut tobacco, put up hay) to urban (drove 18 wheelers, taught college, pastored in Montreal, Toronto, Gatlinburg, published more than 250 articles). C.S. Lewis mentioned that there were only four to five sins not attractive to him; Alden says he tries not to pretend to be any better! Send Alden an email at aldenandveronika@yahoo.com.